Uganda

Uganda

The Uganda Country Guide was produced by the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) and the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).

The Country Guide is a compilation of publicly available information from international institutions, local NGOs, governmental agencies, businesses, media and universities, among others. International and domestic sources are identified on the basis of their expertise and relevance to the Ugandan context, as well as their timeliness and impartiality.

The survey of publicly available, international sources was carried out by DIHR in 2015. The draft was updated and localized by UHRC with some interaction with local stakeholders, from January to March 2016.

The completed Country Guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview, on the basis of the information available, of the ways in which companies do or may impact human rights in Uganda. The current Country Guide is not meant as an end product, or a final determination of country conditions. It is intended to be the basis, and the beginning, of a process of dissemination, uptake and modification. DIHR and the UHRC seek further engagement with local stakeholders, and intend to update the Country Guide on that basis.

- See more at: http://hrbcountryguide.org/countries/uganda/#sthash.fpvSIdnZ.dpuf

News Feed

29 Aug 2017 — "Nema turns down Chinese investor’s sand mining bid"
The National Environmental Authority (Nema) has rejected a proposal by a Chinese company to excavate sand along the shores of Lake Victoria at Kawuku in Nkumba Parish, Wakiso District. The company, Mango Tree Group Ltd, has since last year been in the spot over allegedly engaging in illegal sand mining activities in the area. The company directors, however, sought official clearance from Nema, to conduct commercial sand mining at three sites on the lake shores at Nkumba, next to Kimi Island in Mukono District and near Kavejanja –Buusi Island, Wakiso District.
According to Nema Executive Director, Tom Okurut, the company’s activities have a negative impact on the eco-system on the lake shores, which would consequently affect the communities around Entebbe peninsular. In his June 1 letter to Mango Tree Group directors, Dr Okurut stressed that the sites proposed for dredging are either “refugia (an area where various organisms can hide during harsh conditions) and/or spawning grounds for fish...[T]he Nkumba and Buusi bay areas are targeted for cage fish farming so such a disturbance will impact fish stocks, the fishing industry, and consequently the livelihood of dependent communities,”

28 Aug 2017 — "Mubende miners count losses after ruthless eviction"
Kawunde Patrick has been in the gold mining business for three years now...On the fateful morning of the Mubende mines eviction, he watched in horror as his livelihood was swept right from under his feet...On that fateful morning his boys were already in the pit working when he was ordered by angry soldiers to get them out and ensure no one stayed down. The miners had been given two hours – though most swear it was hardly an hour – to vacate the mines. Pandemonium reigned as over 50,000 people gathered whatever they could to flee...“Soldiers stopped me from taking anything. I lost three generators; three blowers that supply oxygen down the pit and four drilling machines...I watched as Sh16million of my capital was snatched out of my hands,” he said resignedly with tears welling up in his eyes.
Mr Kawunde is just one of many artisanal miners that lost property and money during the eviction. “People left money in their houses as they fled,” said another miner who identified himself as just Alex. Alex was one of so many business people who fled off the gold value chain. He owned a lodge and bar. He had just spent Shs6million on iron sheets to construct more makeshift rooms. Like many others he left his iron sheets in the mines. “If I had not bought those sheets I would at least have something to start with. I left everything of mine in the mines. I have not changed clothes since we were evicted,” he said.
In his State of the Nation address of 2015 President Museveni assured the miners in Mubende their plight would be addressed...This year, with the eviction looming, negotiations were ongoing as politicians shuffled between State House and Mubende...For now the miners are waiting and hoping that they will be allowed back to operate or at least seize opportunities if an investor starts operations.

28 Aug 2017 — "How infrastructure projects impact the host communities"
The construction of oil and gas infrastructure, dams, pipelines [and] processing plants has shown that the process is not without negative impacts to host communities...The situation is worse in poorly planned projects, which are often characterised by underestimation of social impacts...
[In regard to the Uganda-Tanzania oil pipelinem, Mr. Raymond Njogoro, a resident of one of the host communities] expressed his concerns that adequate knowledge was required to educate the majority of host communities...[who] lacked knowledge about the project.

15 Aug 2017 — "Breaking down the Amuru land conflict"
A planned survey to secure 10,000 hectares of land for Madhvani Group to establish sugarcane plantation and sugar factory in the northern Amuru District aborted last week following nude protest by enraged women...[This article traces the history of the conflict between Madhvani Group and the local community].
The Madhvani Group initially showed interest in the land to establish a sugar factory, but local resistance forced the company to pull out. It sought the assistance of government to acquire the same. In the process, the government decided to bring the community on board. In 2008...[community representatives] sued Madhvani Group, Gen Julius Oketta and former district employee Ms Christine Atimango, and ex-Amuru Land Board Secretary Christine Atimango for wrongfully allocating communal land to private investors. High Court Judge William Musene...ordered the land be given to Madhvani Group. In 2015, the government signed an agreement with the Lamogi community of Kilak County, Amuru District, to withdraw the pending case at the Court of Appeal and pave the way for the establishment of the sugar factory by the Madhvani Group. President Museveni witnessed the signing of the agreement...
A forcible survey exercise overseen by security forces and resistance by residents will likely explode in a confrontation, and result in bloodshed. Some of the dissenting leaders have proposed that the land owners form a Trust under which they will act as out growers and directly supply sugarcane to Madhvani Group, thereby earning constant income instead of mortgaging their land to the investor for a one-off compensation payment.

10 Aug 2017 — "Civil society calls for fair compensation of oil pipeline victims"
Civil society organizations have called upon the governments of Tanzania and Uganda to develop Resettlement Action Plans in a participatory and transparent manner...[following the] envisaged construction of the Hoima-Tanga crude oil pipeline...The chairman of Northern Coalition on Oil and Gas, Mr. Josiah Severre...insisted the compensation must be based on fair market value...
Mr. Severre also urged the two governments and the companies which will be implementing the project to establish a mechanism to handle grievances from the community. "Grievances should be addressed timely. The affected communities should be involved fully. We want the process of addressing complaints to be clear, consistent and transparent", he said.

4 Aug 2017 — "Cultural institutions agitate for fair share in extractives sector"
On 21st June, the three prime ministers from Ker Kwaro Acholi, Alur Kingdom and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom launched Guidelines to equip cultural leaders in their institutions in managing their relationship with the oil and gas companies as productively as possible. The guidelines reflect the three cultural institutions’ determination to play an active role in preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage, in ensuring sustainable development and in fostering peace amongst communities...
Executive Director Cross Cultural Foundation Uganda, Emily Drani....[says that"] And therefore they have always been treading very carefully. So when it’s a purely development agenda they are very outgoing and very forward. But when there’s a very thin line as to whether they’re now overstepping that line you find they’re not very assertive. So much as the laws of energy and use of natural resources have been taking place they have not asserted themselves to say yes, we are key actors in all this and we need to be consulted and we need government to recognize that the resources were talking about also have cultural significance and that’s where we come in, because in the past of course they were managing those resources for economic benefit and now they are told that is something beyond their mandate; they are supposed to focus on culture. But even then they can still make a case for land; they can still make a case for natural resources where there’s traditional medicine, there’re secret sites which fall directly under their mandate but they’re not very forthcoming. Government has taken advantage of that and actually not consulted them; but also for government to consult you need to demand and be acknowledged that this is a place where you can make a contribution. [Refers to Tullow Oil]